Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
272
4
KOTA BHARU
In the northeast corner of peninsular Malaysia, bordering Thailand, is the state of
Kelan-
tan.
Few tourists head this far nor th up the east coast, but it 's a fascinating journey for
those interested in seeing Malaysia as it might have been without so many foreign influ-
ences. The state is populated mostly b y Malays and other B umiputeras, with only tiny
numbers of Chinese and I ndian residents and almost no traces of B ritish colonialism.
Not surprisingly, Kelantan is the heart of traditional Islam in modern Malaysia. Although
the government in KL constr ucts social policies based upon a mor e open and tolerant
Islam, religious and government leaders in K elantan follow a more fundamentalist line.
That said, visitors who respect local conservatism are most welcome.
It is impor tant to note
that K elantan borders Thailand's southern pr ovinces, where,
since 2004, civil unr est, including bombings in public places, has led to hundr eds of
deaths of Thai citizens and several international tourists. I advise travelers to use caution
in this area and refrain from speaking openly about politics and r eligion.
Kota Bharu,
the state capital, is the hear t of the r egion. The area is rich in M alay
cultural heritage, as evidenced in the continuing inter est in arts like
silat
(Malay martial
arts),
wayang kulit
(puppetr y),
gasing
(top spinning), and
wau
(kite flying). F or the
record, you won't find too much traditional music or dance, as women ar e forbidden
from entertaining in public. Also beware that the state has strict laws controlling the sale
of alcoholic beverages, which cannot be purchased in many stores, hotels, or most restau-
rants. Chinese r estaurants, however, are permitted to sell beer to their patr ons but will
probably not allow you to take any away.
If you take a side trip from Terengganu, plan to stay overnight. An outstation taxi from
Kuala Terengganu can bring you on the 3-hour drive for around RM110 ($32/£20). Stay
at the
Renaissance,
managed by Marriott; it's practically the only hint of the 21st cen-
tury in all of Kelantan. Rooms are exactly what you would expect from an international
business-class hotel chain, and cost RM477 ($138/£86) for double occupancy . Contact
the R enaissance at K ota S ri Mutiara, Jalan S ultan Yahya Petra (
&
09/746-2233;
fax
09/746-1122; www.marriott.com). You'll find the
Kelantan Tourist Information Cen-
tre
at Jalan Sultan Ibrahim (
&
09/748-5534
).
Centered around the Padang Merdeka are five of the most significant sights in K ota
Bharu, run by the Kelantan State Museum Corporation. They are all open S aturday to
Thursday 8:30am to 4:45pm, and closed on F riday; entr y charges for each ar e RM2
(60¢/35p) for adults and RM1 (30¢/20p) for childr en. At the
Istana Jahar,
Kelantan
traditional costumes, antiques, and musical instruments are displayed in context of their
usage in r oyal cer emonies.
Istana B atu
takes y ou thr ough a photographic journey of
Kelantan's royal family and offers a peek at their lifestyle through the past 200 years. The
Balai G etam G uri
handicraft museum
sho wcases the finest in K elantanese textiles,
basketry, embroidery,
batik
printing, and silversmithing. You'll also be able to buy crafts
in the shops within the compound. The
Islamic M useum
(Muzium I slam)
teaches
everything you might want to know about Islam in this state, with a focus on Islamic arts
and Kelantan's role in spreading Islam in the r egion. Finally, there is the
War Museum
(Bank Kerapu),
which tells the stor y of Kelantan during World War II in a 1912 bank
building that survived the invasion.
The State Museum
(Muzium Negeri)
is located on Jalan Hospital (
&
09/744-4666;
adults RM2/60¢/35p, children RM1/30¢/20p; Sat-Thurs 8:30am-4:45pm). It's been a
14
